Dissolved Organic Carbon Removal Planned for Second Alaska Community

The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) has selected MIEX treatment for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal at the Gulkana Water Treatment Plant. The system treats raw water from the Gulkana River and will provide pretreatment to a coagulation and direct filtration process. The treatment will enable the community of Gulkana to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency water quality standards for disinfection by-products (DBPs).

ANTHC's Department of Environmental Health and Engineering works with water systems at small communities across Alaska to assist them with solving their water treatment challenges, including those associated with controlling DBP formation. Gulkana marks the second Alaska community that selected the treatment system for DBP compliance.

A similar treatment system is installed at the city of Saxman. In both instances, the technology was selected based on the results of bench and pilot scale testing for its performance in removing DOC from surface water sources considered challenging to treat, as well as its proven ability to improve the performance of downstream treatment processes, such as coagulation.

Additionally, remote support provided by Orica Watercare engineers helps ensure system uptime at remote locations and small communities, where operator attention may be limited.

"The selection of the technology for pretreatment at a second Alaska water treatment facility indicates a growing recognition of and confidence in process performance, reliability and support," Orica Watercare Vice President Ellen Gaby said.

Gulkana's plant upgrade is currently under construction and is due to be operational later this year.